Trial and Error
by ModernDivine
Summary: Dear Ugly, I have noticed some things that attract those of the male persuasion. When in doubt, use this book. It is the official book of men, for hags like you going after (dickless) men. -Sai
1. Prologue: Denial

**A/N:**

**Hmm..POST Sakura's confession during Five Kage Summit? Actually, it's unclear just when these drabbles take place. It doesn't really matter; they're just for fun^^**

**I know I'm not finished with my other NaruSaku fic, The Fire within the Will, but the idea came to me while I was sitting in Anthropology ( I know, of all the places...but hey, my mind wanders during lecture) and demanded to be written, so here I am, with the first chapter of Trial and Error.**

**Enjoy & Review!**

* * *

A gurgling snore escaped Naruto's parted mouth and Sai glanced over at his sleeping teammate whose limbs were stretched every which way. How Naruto could have fought Pain during Konoha's destruction was beyond him. Dickless was hopelessly gullible and always hungry and not exactly the best of suave talkers, yet everyone insisted he was a hero and managed to reveal Hinata's confession.

It didn't make sense.

He spoke to Sakura about it after their meeting with the blonde to stop him from chasing after Sasuke, and what came from their talk was a rather awkward but essentially lifting and curious conversation.

"_You like Naruto right?" Sai asked with genuine shock featuring on his normally emotionless face. "And all this time I thought you were asexual or something, Ugly Hag…"_

_Sakura shot him a scathing glare, a vein popping on her forehead. "Well I'm very much female, thank-you-very-much," the medical-nin flatly stated, viridian eyes fierce and womanhood wounded. "And…it's not like it's __**Naruto**__ you know…I don't _like_ …"_

"_Sure you don't," the former ROOT member stretched disbelievingly, clearing remembering her confession to the blond during their meet at the Land of Iron._

_A scowl appeared on her features. "Look, can you help me or not?"_

_Sai eyed the pink haired girl for a moment, studying the look in Sakura's eyes, determined and harsh and maybe a little desperate, before nodding, a small smile gracing his lips. "Yeah alright, I might as well pass on my skills and knowledge to someone deserving."_

Even he noticed a change towards Sakura's feelings for Naruto. If the former ROOT member could figure it out, then the rest of Konoha 11 would know.

* * *

When the team finally arrived to the village, Sakura threw Sai a knowing glance. And he nodded. Then he took off the opposite direction.

"Alright! RAMEN!" Naruto shouted with glee as he rushed off to the direction of Ichiraku's.

Sakura, with a look of determination on her face, trailed after Naruto. She was going to convince him that her feelings were _real. _No distractions from anyone.

When she got to the stand, however, she saw that Naruto was already accompanied by Shikamaru and Ino. Sakura gritted her teeth and huffed her way through the crowded streets as she made her way to the group.

_Oh no you don't, Pig! _

She could see Naruto glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, but she knew and saw it. He watched her, a small smile tugging the corners of his mouth, merry eyes boring straight into her. A tingle rushed up Sakura's spine and suddenly, he scrunched his eyes, and turned his attention to the long-haired blonde in front of him. They looked like they were talking and she could see Ino fall back laughing with Shikamaru gesturing for her to calm down. What were they talking about?!

"Oh, Sakura-chan…" he greeted to her once she came over. Ino and Shikamaru suddenly quieted. And Naruto watched her intently, bent his head forward and peered closely at her face. She hurriedly took a step back, her eyebrows shooting up.

"Why the hell are you all quiet all of a sudden?" Sakura frowned, but with Naruto's unreadable expression on her, she realized they were talking about her. She stiffened. What if he told them her outlandish confession and how irrational she acted and how Naruto had…dismissed her. She fumed silently.

_That baka better not have!_

Then Ino spoke. "Ne…Sakura. Is it true?"

Sakura's eyes widened and whipped her head to her friend, heart hammering against her ribcage. "Is **what** true?"

She heard Naruto snicker beside her. Then a vein tickled on her forehead, and her eyes flashed angrily at him. He went back to his ramen silently, obviously head slightly turned to make out their conversation.

Ino rolled her eyes, "You know what, Forehead…what you _did_ to Lee-san, Kiba-kun, and Sai-kun!"

"Huh?" Sakura asked, caught off guard and realized that her friend was referring to the knockout gas she used in order to incapacitate her team and go after Sasuke. She blushed, and mentally slapped herself.

_Idiot!_

"O-oh that. Of course I did!" Sakura glared as Ino raised an eyebrow in a knowing question, and Shikamaru sighed.

"What do you mean _oh that_?!" Ino snapped, obviously hurt that Sakura would dismiss her own well-being just to look for Sasuke herself.

"That was probably a foolish thing to do. But then again, it would have been a sight to see how Kiba reacted after waking up from it," he drawled and took a seat next to Naruto.

"Haha! He was pissed as hell! Should've seen his face, that dog!" Naruto replied, a smirk covering his features.

Ino noticed that Sakura was so immersed in her own mental battle that she missed the devilish gleam in her friend's eyes.

"Sooo…what did you mean earlier?" the coy voice broke her thoughts.

Sakura immediately snapped her attention back to her friend. The suggestive way the blonde was waggling her eyebrows made Sakura suspicious that she had been angling towards this particular topic since the beginning.

Schooling her features into a neutral expression, emerald eyes guarded, she replied casually, "What about it?"

Ino gave an impatient sigh. "Come on, Billboard Brow, what do you intend to do about what you try so hard to hide?"

Ino smirked as Sakura did a double take. She didn't notice Naruto raise his head from his bowl to glance at them. Shikamaru stood up from his seat, sighing inwardly, knowing the tension between these two were going to outbreak.

"What do you mean?"

"Sakura, we've been friends, then rivals, then friends again for ages now. Trust me; I know when you are interested in someone."

A choking sound came from behind Sakura, and she knew it was Naruto, as she blushed furiously.

_Anything but __**that**__!_

"It's nothing like that!" protested Sakura, as she stormed off into another direction, without so much as leaving a goodbye to her teammate.

* * *

Naruto smiled to himself as he watched Sakura storm off up the street.

He was perched on the stool but he was too engrossed with Sakura's fight with Ino to pay much attention to his ramen. They were arguing again and Naruto couldn't help but grin stupidly as he watched. Shikamaru got up from his stool, "Troublesome." He hadn't meant to overhear but Sakura's voice was an especially sweet noise to Naruto's ears, and he'd heard her easily through the commotion of the street. Well actually it wasn't difficult to hear her as she was shouting.

"Shut up – PIG!" Sakura's shout caused a few passerby to give throw them both incredulous looks

"Chill out Sakura-chaann! Your secret is safe with me!" Ino smiled mockingly.

"**No** I will not _'chill out'_, Ino-pig, because…because it's not true! It's all a lie!" Sakura's expression deceived her, as her face had gone pink with rage, her eyes bright and serious.

Naruto laughed to himself. That look was always a winner. If he remembered correctly that was the look she had given him just after he had dismissed her confession.

Ino looked at Sakura with a questioning look and sighed, then whispered to the girl, making sure they were out of earshot from Naruto.

"Calm down! I promise I won't tell a soul!" Ino grinned.

"It's nothing like that!" protested Sakura. "He's my friend. My best friend. "So, naturally I tend to look after him."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever makes you feel safe; but seeing that he has always had a crush on you, why don't you two get together?"

"Ino! Please," Sakura groaned, as she rubbed the ridge of her nose, feeling her headache mounting. "Did you not hear what I said earlier about my confession?!"

"What? You know that he'll jump at the occasion of going out with you," Ino persisted, scrutinizing the medic nin's face closely. "And you must admit that he's not a bad catch at all. The whole village praises him now. He's sooooooo hot!"

Sakura willed herself not to get too reactive. "You're wrong," she said quietly, "he's long over his crush for me."

"No. He's not," Ino insisted. "He has never gone out with anyone too; it must be because he still has the feels for you. I'm sure he would be more than willing to go out with you if you show the slight interest!"

Sakura felt she had to stop this conversation, now. She did not like the way her friend was being talked about, as if he had a weak point. It felt so demeaning to him.

"Ino, stop it. He's not that twelve year old boy anymore."

Ino opened her mouth to protest, but Sakura quickly pressed on. "The only reason he has not gone out with anyone yet is because he has been so dedicated in his fight against this Madara guy," she said, looking at the blond girl almost accusingly. "He had been devoting all his time to protect the village, you know that."

"It doesn't mean that he's not interested in you anymore!" Ino argued. "Why don't you ask him out and see?"

Sakura remained silent, trying to keep her cool.

Ignoring her friend's mounting exasperation, Ino continued, "Sakura, we're emancipated young women, we should not be expected to sit back lamely and expect a good shinobi to fall on our lap! If you like someone, take things in your hands, why should you hesitate to make the first step?"

"Ino!" Sakura hissed, fighting to keep her voice low so as not to attract attention. "Emancipated? In case you don't know, at twelve years old, I confessed to Sasuke that I loved him, and all I got in return was a _'Thank you'_ and was knocked unconscious and left on a cold bench for the night. And for the record, I did tell Naruto that I love him. But what I got from the Land of Iron was an _'I hate people who lie to themselves'_!" Her green eyes glowered with the memory fresh in her head, as she glared at her friend.

"Trust me; I've had my share of taking first steps and being rejected; enough to last me for a lifetime!"

Ino stared open mouthed at her. "Sakura…" But then she stopped.

She realized. Sakura wasn't walking next to her any more.

"Saku-? "

**WHAM**.

Sakura, with all her strength, had rammed her fist into Ino's jaw.

Naruto watched with mild surprise as Ino flew the length of the street they had just walked down.

A good few hundred meters. Sakura figured she could do this at least to divert Naruto's suspicious glance at them from the restaurant.

"SHUT YOUR FACE – PIG!" screamed Sakura. But then, Naruto thought, it seemed as if she was talking to herself.

"There is more to him than you will ever know..."

Ino stirred from her landing place barely conscious and passersby shrunk to the shadows, so Sakura was left alone to stand in the street as the dust cleared. She gave an inner sigh of defeat.

"I would never hurt him, but it's of no importance anyway. I was too late," she whispered to herself and walked away, but not before her eyes crossed with his. When he saw her, he gave his cheesiest grin, her heart thudded painfully fast against her ribcage.

"And don't mention it to anyone either, Ino."

She bit her lip, holding back tears and walked to the direction of her home, turning her back to Naruto, unaware of the smile that danced on his lips.

* * *

When she arrived at home, she noticed the leather bound book on the foot of her stairs.

She sighed, inwardly, realizing who it could have been from. She would have to open the contents later as she helped her parents with the dinner table.

.x.

_Dear Ugly, guess this is what you asked for. I have noticed some things that attract those of the male persuasion. When in doubt, use this book. It is the official book of men, for Hags like you going after (dickless) men._

– _Sai_


	2. Art of Teasing

**A/N:**

**Thanks to everyone whose reviewed!^^**

**Here's the second (official) chapter. You'll see what I mean in upcoming ones^^ Like I said in the previous chapter, it's unclear when these drabbles take place, so I'm stemming a few scenes from cannon. I find that it's a bit hard for me to really get into NaruSaku (esp. altering canon scenes to fit with my story)...I need to familiarize myself with their canon vs. fandom situations first, but once I do, I promise that my NaruSaku will be total WIN. **

**Enjoy!^^**

* * *

**Art lesson #1. Teasing**

'_Don't nag, complain, or vent (too much). Drive him…wild with temptation…Gently lean in and whisper something dirty in his ear. Yes. You read this correctly. Even the great Toad Sannin could master this. I've heard it's a fun tease and he will be glad to play along with you and every male loves a great tease. _

_It's mere speculation of what I've heard and read. I think... _

— Sai's Official Book of Male Art—

* * *

"Yo, you should be proud o' your teammate, coz withou' mergin' Kyuubi, it'll be too late," Bee rapped for beat, sensing Sakura's worry.

"Well, Naruto's gotten much better at mastering sage mode…so you shouldn't worry a thing about him. Even if the nine-tails is rather stubborn and devious," Yamato said before creating a familiar jutsu with his hands and placing them on the ground.

Sakura frowned. She shook her head. She couldn't dwell on this for too long. She needed to keep her thoughts focused on the "s-rank" mission and track all of Naruto's progress with Kyuubi, as well as writing reports during their time in the Land of Lightning. It was difficult keeping tabs on all these things for shishou. At least Sai was here with them, but since Shizune was totally occupied with other issues, Sakura knew Tsunade was not in the best place right now—with the Fourth Shinobi world war about to begin. Shishou had to make sure that someone would keep an eye on Naruto and keep them updated. So Sakura and Sai went with them.

Later that evening, Naruto heard her approach, but did not shift his position to greet her, nor did he even bother opening his eyes. He was meditating; after all, didn't she know that? Couldn't she tell? His legs were folded beneath him, and he sat up straight, taking deep and even breaths. Not to mention he couldn't move anyways in order to maintain perfect balance.

And now it was after dinner.

She couldn't have possibly _forgotten_, he's kept this very same routine for the past week and a half they've been traveling together. But, she couldn't ignore the fact that he was doing _this_ to her on purpose.

Ignoring her.

The blond cracked an eye open, the reddish-orange hue appearing around his eyes. "I'm meditating."

She smiled, and he found it was much harder to shut that eye. Then she took a seat next to him, appearing rather troubled by something.

"I know," the kunoichi said hastily, fiddling with the bowl resting on her lap, "I just…"

He waited for her to continue, but she only looked away, hiding behind a curtain of pink curls. Naruto let a faint scowl cross over his features, before closing that same eye and returning to his routine-

"Now is the only time that I could get you alone."

_What?_

The blond stiffened, relaxing immediately, and turned to her with peaked curiosity. "So you caught me. What is it?" He asked, knowing that even trying to meditate now would be pointless. Not that he minded much, talking with Sakura-chan was by-far more intriguing than this dull exercise. Well, when she wasn't yelling and punching him or something of that matter.

Her hand traced the edges of the bowl, fingers gliding along the smooth clay pot. She was squirming now. "I just…"

"Yeah…?"

"I just…"

Here they go again.

"Just spit it out already, Sakura-chan," Naruto sighed, telling himself not to think of her cascading hair and those slender fingers and her luscious lips and bright green eyes and—

_Dammit,_ the jinchūriki mentally swore, banishing such fantasies from his mind.

Sakura blinked, jerking her head to the side to give him a withering glare. "I'm trying to be _nice_ here," she growled, affronted, a vein twitched against her forehead.

"And I'm trying to listen to you _being_ nice, but it's hard when you keep stopping in mid-sentence like that," her counterpart replied tersely.

Sakura's eyes flashed. When in the world did he get so—

"I'm trying to find the right words," she replied instead.

Before he could stop himself he gasped, "You don't know what to say? Well this is a first from you." Curse his quick tongue! The blond reeled at his own insult, shaking his head once the words left his lips, almost cowering as to fear a punch from her. "Wait, Sakura-chan I didn't-"

But it was too late, the figurative hat was dropped.

"Oh is it? From what I know lately, the Kyuubi is still very much in the recesses of that baka head of yours and hasn't lent you any of his chakra yet!"

Naruto started – no, he had made no progress with the nine tails…yet, but she should not critique the entire fact that he was trying. The kyuubi, yes, but his own chakra control? "I bet you would've loved to talk to him for me for a day." He countered abrasively, and added in retribution a curt, "Maybe…just maybe you two could be such _pals_."

Sakura's mouth fell open in response to his jab. "How _dare_ you insinuate-!" And she went on with a list of insults and name-calling. Really, it wasn't difficult to tune her out, but even though Naruto couldn't make out her words, there was still that dull buzzing noise that told him she wasn't finished talking—yelling—_nagging_. He was rather surprised at her doing so. Normally, she would've just punched the daylights out of him by now…but now that he thought about it, she was acting rather odd.

Meditating was obviously not an option, and what a wasted effort those first fifteen minutes were – he was wound up again because of his teammate's hypersensitive emotions. Women. He definitely agreed with Shikamaru now. Without thinking, he lifted a hand to her flapping lips and suddenly there was a relative peace. But her eyes suggested otherwise as they trailed over his in question.

"Did you…_come_ here to argue with me?"

The kunoichi scoffed, brushing away his hand – that was warm and oddly comforting. "No, but you're just such a—"

"Because I didn't ask you to—"he began, his blue eyes tracing over her obvious discomfort.

"_knuckle-head baka—"

"_come along with me."

"_that it's hard not to."

Naruto sighed, raking his fingers through his blond hair and convincing himself over and over that he did not lament the softness of her lips against his palm. "Alright I'm sorry, now what was it that you wanted?" He repented.

She surveyed him suspiciously, eyes calculating and judging, deciding if it was worth telling (teasing) him, asking him, whatever-the-hell she planned (Sai planned). Naruto took her moment of silent mental study to appraise her with his own scrutinizing gaze.

Sakura was strong, beautiful and opinionated. She had been there to heal him, to listen, to help, and to hit him over the head on more than one occasion. She took care of them all, of him. She would recollect herself for battle (for the most part) and prepare for the worst to come. She loved to help people and was compassionate and forgiving (also for the most part).

And she _lied_ to him (to herself). His mind wandered, for the briefest of seconds, where he silently buried the recollections of a land covered in snow and a pink-haired girl pleading her love for a baka who couldn't even keep his promises, just to be begged to throw them away.

Naruto deflated at the thought. Sakura wasn't the only one he would protect. He cared for her _deeply_, yes, but what was going on through the recesses of her mind that day drove him angry, hurt, and confused. She was so dead-set against even accepting a date from him in the past…that what she did just crossed the boundaries of expected right into wounding offense.

Arguing and ignoring her all the time now did nothing to remedy it.

But she just made it so easy, always on about this or that, and there was only so much nagging and punching one young man could take! Even from an attractive pink-haired girl with the greenest eyes and the largest charming forehead he's ever seen.

"I wanted to apologize," she said at last, eyes lowering to the bowl of fruit sitting on her lap, "for everything."

He blinked, taken aback.

A moment of silence stretched between them, during which Sakura lifted her eyes to look at him, the makings of a smile slowly crossing her lips.

Naruto decided that he always liked—no loved— her smile.

He nodded, letting a lopsided grin tug up a corner of his mouth, "Apology accepted."

Her smile froze. "What?"

The blond hesitated, confused. "I-I…forgive you…?"

Those were clearly not the words she wanted to hear - Sakura was not appeased. "_You_ forgive _me_?!" She exclaimed, "_You_ should be the one apologizing!"

Now Naruto was at a complete and hopeless loss. "Me?! What for?" He had already apologized a trillion times over for what he's done in the past, what did he do wrong now?

"FOR—FOR BEING A SUCH A BAKA!" she shrilled, eyes raging with suppressed fury.

He scowled, trying to make sense of things – of her claims, her actions, her mood-swings…and found that he had no idea what she was on about.

"_You're_ the one who came over here to yell at _me,_'ttebayo! Like you always do!"

In one fluid motion, the bowl of fruit was smashed into his whiskered face and Sakura stormed away in a fuming fit.

Sai stopped by after, having watched from lift-off to crash-landing, with his aerial scouting and looked pityingly down at the blond. Naruto had an excuse prepared on his tongue, but the emotionless bastard spoke up first,

"Hmm...So Ugly didn't do as I suggested."

.

.

.

Sai awoke the next morning with a bruised eye.

* * *

_'Be wary of when you nag and tease. Though most of the time it is successful and will create chemistry and laughs, there is a line between teasing and fighting, one that doesn't even exist if the male is a dickless baka.'_

-Sai


End file.
